Lee Hoiby's 'Last Letter Home' Sees World Premiere in New String Orchestra Version

This month Last Letter Home, Lee Hoiby's much loved musical setting of an American soldier's final note to his family from Iraq, receives a world premiere it its newest incarnation for string orchestra. Steven Townsend leads the Orchestra of St. James by the Sea in La Jolla California. Last Letter Home is a setting to music of a letter by US Army tank crewman Jesse Givens who had been in Iraq for just a month when, on May 1, 2003, his tank crashed and fell into a canal off the Euphrates River.

Hoiby's intention was to set Givens' words as clearly as possible, originally writing it in three-part form for one tenor and two baritone parts. Last Letter Home is already published in Edition Schott in versions for TBB chorus as well as baritone and piano, and has seen heralded performances all over the US and abroad. Steven Townsend and the orchestra of St. James by the Sea perform Last Letter Home for string orchestra on November 8 in La Jolla, California.

For more on the music of Lee Hoiby, visit www.leehoiby.com and his profile.

Lee Hoiby
Last Letter Home (2006)
text by Pfc. Jesse Givens (1969-2003)
for string orchestra
8'